Real Madrid loan Garcia to Celta Vigo

MADRID, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Real Madrid have allowed Uruguay midfielder Pablo Garcia to join UEFA Cup contenders Celta Vigo on loan this season, the nine-times European champions said on their official Web site on Tuesday.

Garcia, 29, left Osasuna for Madrid for an estimated €4.5 million in July 2005, the same time as Real signed fellow countryman Carlos Diogo from River Plate.

Diogo was loaned to Real Zaragoza last week.

Garcia played 22 league games for Real but was deemed surplus to requirements by new coach Fabio Capello following the arrival of Emerson and Mahamadou Diarra.

Real are trying to off-load a number of fringe players before Thursday's transfer deadline.

Danish midfielder Thomas Gravesen is expected to join Celtic, Jonathan Woodgate has said he will spend the season on loan at an English Premier League club and fellow centre back Ivan Helguera has been linked with a move to Valencia.